I love House Hunters for many reasons, one of which is the series's unwavering consistency. When I sit down for an episode, I know what I'm in for: a couple ready to move, three houses to view, and an energetic hometown realtor. It's reassuring, really, how consistent House Hunters is with its story arcs. The buyers are always like Goldilocks; there's too much of certain things (carpet, laminate flooring) and too little of others (granite, finished basements). Nothing is ever just right, and that's why House Hunters continues to captivate viewers after 16 years on the air. In fact, Adweek just referred to the long-running series as possibly HGTV's "gateway drug." It's that good.

Each episode is formulaic but still somehow surprising. In fact, HGTV even addressed rumors that the show is staged. How does HGTV do it? I haven't uncovered the network's secret sauce for making House Hunters irresistible, but I have identified 24 things that happen in each blissful episode.